Theo Pourchaire has endured a frustrating time this year as the season stuttered since losing his Arrow McLaren drive in IndyCar.
The Frenchman was originally planning to race in Super Formula in Japan, and he competed in the opening round at Suzuka, where he finished outside the top 10.
He then moved to IndyCar, making his debut for Arrow McLaren on the unforgiving streets of Long Beach in California.
Pourchaire lost his seat to Nolan Siegel despite some good performances ahead of the Grand Prix of Monterey at Laguna Seca.
Despite winning the Formula 2 championship in 2023, he has been overlooked for a drive in Formula 1, although Pourchaire may still have an opportunity to race at the highest level.
He will drive in the WEC post-season rookie test for Peugeot at the Bahrain International Circuit in the Hypercar class. Pourchaire told si.com that the test could open up an opportunity a lot of drivers would enjoy.
Theo Pourchaire feels the test in Bahrain could lead to racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Pourchaire is now unlikely to race in Formula 1 after not being selected to compete in the championship, despite a successful junior career.
The Frenchman could find a home in endurance racing, following a similar path to drivers such as Callum Ilott, who didn’t make it to F1 but raced at Le Mans for Porsche.
Pourchaire will head to Bahrain, having already experienced the circuit in Formula 2, taking victory twice for ART at the track.
This should help him adjust at a quicker rate although the car is very different, as it is heavier than in F2 and has driver aids such as traction control.
Pourchaire explained racing in WEC is a superb opportunity for a driver, particularly competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
He said: “I’m excited to discover the FIA World Endurance Championship. I think it’s a dream for every driver to compete in this championship one day, especially at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is the greatest race in the world.
“Having this first experience in endurance racing is fantastic, and I’m looking forward to returning to Bahrain, a circuit I particularly love. It’s a great track, and with a very powerful car, it will be an amazing opportunity.”
WEC could be Theo Pourchaire’s best opportunity to race professionally
The World Endurance Championship is a very high-level series that features manufacturers such as Ferrari, Toyota and Peugeot.
WEC has been on a good path, with the Hypercar class becoming much more competitive than in the LMP1 era, which Toyota dominated.
Pourchaire has proven he can compete in single-seaters, but endurance racing is a very different discipline with longer races and managing traffic.
The test in Bahrain should provide a good baseline for the Frenchman as he may look to race in WEC in the near future.